Israel relocated its official government aircraft to Germany for security reasons over the weekend, Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s spokesperson confirmed on Monday.
Stefan Kornelius, speaking at a Berlin press conference, pointed out that no Israeli government officials were on the plane when it arrived at a Berlin airport on Saturday.
“The Israeli government asked if they could park this plane here. We complied with that request,” he said, adding that only the flight crew was present when the plane arrived in Berlin.
The aircraft, known as the “Wing of Zion,” left Israel on Saturday, sparking speculation on social media that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might be heading to Germany.
Flight-tracking data showed the plane departed Israel early on Saturday afternoon, circled for hours over the Mediterranean Sea, then flew to Germany and landed in Berlin that evening.
The specially equipped Boeing 767 serves as the official aircraft for overseas trips by both Israel’s president and prime minister.
According to Israeli media reports, the plane is fitted with advanced secure communications systems